Relationship between psychological distress, quality of life and resilience among medical and non-medical students.

Abstract

To explore inherent associations between psychological distress and resilience, and its effect on quality of life among medical and non-medical students. The cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2018 to January 2020 after approval from the Department of Psychology Ethics Committee of the International Islamic University, Islamabad, and comprised medical and non-medical students of either gender enrolled with different institutions of higher learning in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Data were obtained using Brief Resilience Scale, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and Quality of Life Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS. Of the 300 subjects, 150(50%) each were medical and non medical students. Within both groups, 75(50%) each were males and females. Psychological resilience was a positive predictor of quality of life ( =0.30) whereas psychological distress served as a negative predictor of quality of life ( =-0.54). Medical students were significantly higher on psychological distress (p=0.001), whereas non-medical students were higher on quality of life (p=0.001) and resilience (p=0.001). Female students were higher on quality of life and male students were higher on psychological distress (p=0.002). Resilience needs to be promoted among students, particularly medical students, as it may help in reduction and adequate management of academic distress levels.